The present invention relates to a sealing device for protecting the trunnion socket portion of a drive axle steering ball assembly in a front drive vehicle from foreign matter such as muddy water and debris. More particularly, the invention relates to a sealing device including at least one annular seal member made of an elastomeric material to permit resilient slidable contact thereof with the spherical outer surface of a steering ball assembly. Numerous designs of annular seal members for this purpose have been utilized in the prior art. The bulk of these designs have required an objectionable multiplicity of parts. Others have required slits in the elastomeric sealing parts for purposes of fitting the seal member to the typical spherical ball surface of the steering member. Such slits have permitted road water and debris to enter the trunnion socket and to thus accelerate deterioration of the steering assembly.
Another deficiency of prior art seals for steering balls has been related to the difficulty of avoiding damage to the sealing lips while installing the seal over the steering knuckle. Another has been related to the lack of rigidity and hence control of the elastomeric body portion of the seal member during operation of the steering ball.